Helminth infection prevalence and intensity among 1,992 participants in Taabo, south-central Côte d’Ivoire, in July 2011.

<p>Infection intensities (mean egg count) were split into light, moderate, and heavy infections using WHO guidelines <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0065722#pone.0065722-WHO1" target="_blank">[10]</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0065722#pone.0065722-WHO2" target="_blank">[11]</a>.</p>a<p>Number of infected participants stratified by infection intensities (values in brackets as percentage, %).</p><p>n.d., not defined.</p

Map of the study area in Taabo, situated in south-central Côte d’Ivoire.

<p>The study was carried out in two villages (Sahoua, Katchénou) and seven hamlets (1 = Beh N’Guessankro, 2 = Allah Thérèsekro, 3 = Yobouékro, 4 = Ouattafouékro, 5 = Kouadio Kouamékro, 6 = Boussoukro, 7 = Amani Kouadiokro) that are part of the Taabo health demographic surveillance system. Results presented here pertain to the baseline cross-sectional parasitological and questionnaire surveys conducted in July 2011.</p

Significant associations between parasitic infections and household assets, hygiene, and defecation behavior.

<p>The study was carried out among 431 households in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d’Ivoire in July 2011. Logistic regression analysis was used with village level exchangeable random effects. Variables included as potential confounders were age groups (<5, 5–14, 15–24, 25–40, and >40 years), wealth quintiles and sex whenever age, sex, and socioeconomic status were significantly associated with a given parasitic infection.</p><p>No significant associations for <i>E. histolytica/E. dispar</i> and <i>G. intestinalis</i> with household assets, hygiene, and defecation behavior have been found after correction for potential confounders (sex, age group, or wealth quintile).</p>a<p><i>P</i>-value based on Wald test.</p

Age-prevalence curves of investigated parasites.

<p>The results of the intestinal protozoa and helminth infections arise from the baseline cross-sectional survey carried out in July 2011 among community members of two villages and seven hamlets in the Taabo health demographic and surveillance system, south-central Côte d’Ivoire. <i>Trichuris trichiura</i>, <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> and <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i> are not displayed due to very low prevalence.</p

Knowledge, attitude, practice, and beliefs related to hygiene behavior, latrine possession, and open defecation mentioned by the respondents.

<p>The study was carried out in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d’Ivoire in July 2011.</p>a<p>Proportion of categories reported spontaneously.</p>b<p>Mean prominence based on values assigned to each category (0 = not mentioned, 1 = probed, 2 = spontaneous).</p

Characteristics of the 431 households, participating in the knowledge, attitude, practice, and beliefs survey, stratified by wealth quintiles.

<p>The study was carried out in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d’Ivoire in July 2011. Questionnaires were conducted with the household chief if present; otherwise the next higher household member was interviewed.</p><p>Q1–Q3 stands for first quartile to third quartile, defining the interquartile range.</p

Knowledge of prevention of urogenital schistosomiasis and intestinal helminths.

<p>The study was carried out among 431 households in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d’Ivoire in July 2011. Questionnaires were applied on a household level and the question only asked if the participant stated to know the disease.</p

Defecation behavior assessed with the parameters place and frequency, stratified by the abundance of household-owned latrines.

<p>The study was carried out among 431 households in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d’Ivoire in July 2011.</p>a<p>Frequency of defecation (defecation frequency index) assessed on a semi-quantitative scale (0 = never, 1 = irregular, 2 = regular, 3 = often, 4 = always) for each place of defecation. Frequency is indicated as means (standard error in brackets).</p>b<p>P-value assessed with Wilcoxon rank-sum test.</p

Flow chart showing the study cohort and compliance with emphasis on the three different samples considered in the analysis.

<p>The study was carried out in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d’Ivoire in July 2011. The three sub-samples pertain to participants with complete parasitological data, households with complete questionnaire data, and participants with complete parasitological data from a household with complete questionnaire data.</p